Mechanism



P. J. MEAHL.

MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-l3, 19H.

1 ,3 1 2, 1 96. Patented Aug. ,5, 1919.

tali jm h INVENTOR THE COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH' co., wASHINdToN, I). c.

PHILIP J. MEAI-IL, or SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANISM FOR PLAYER-PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

Application filed August 13, 1917. Serial No. 185,882.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP J. MnAI-IL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Player-Pianos, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic musical instruments, and more particularly to an improved mechanical movement and controlling device adapted for employment therewith.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide durable, quick-acting and efficient means for automatically controlling a movable part in instruments of the character mentioned. A more particular object is to provide a practical and advantageous mech anism for effecting automatic control of a tone regulating device, such as described and claimed in my co-pending application, filed Aug. 13, 1917, Serial No. 185,881.

Other objects and advantages will be in part noted hereinafter in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional and elevational View of the actuating and controlling parts;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a perforated note sheet for use in connection therewith; and

"Fig. 4 is an end View of tone regulating devices controlled by the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In the co-pending application referred to there is described in necessary detail a mechanism (illustrated herein in Fig. 4:) for goveming the tone intensity of reproduced music through one or more rotatably adjustable members 1, 1, which govern the actuating throw of pneumatically operated strikers 2 for varying the striking velocity of the piano hammers and therefore varying the tone intensity. The device illustrated herein in Figs-1 and 2 is designed more especially to permit the automatic control of the regulating device mentioned. It is to be noted, however, that this invention is not limited to the use indicated, but is susceptible of application in instruments of the character under consideration where desired to effect intermittent reciprocating or rotary movement.

A link 3 or other suitable member to be moved or to constitute an element in the train of connections with member 1, is pivotally connected with a lever 4E fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a stationary support 5, in the present instance a portion of the piano case. The lever 1, at its opposite end, has a connection with a reciprocable member 6- supported and guided in spaced brackets 7 and 8 and having intermediate the latter corresponding opposed rack teeth such as 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 9, 10, 11', 12. A coil spring 1 1 or other suitable means is provided to normally urge the sliding rack 6 to its extreme position in one direction, c. to the left in Fig. 1. I

A pneumatic device is employed to effect intermittent step-by-step movement of the rack 6 in opposition to the spring 14. In the form shown, this mechanism includes a valve case 15 having therein avacuum chamber 16 connected with a suitable pressurereducing source and separated by a diaphragm or valve 17 from the duct 18 leading to a predetermined tracker bar aperture. The vacuum chamber 16 also communicates through port 19 with chamber 20, the latter having an atmospheric port 21 and leading by duct 22 to a primary pneumatic 23, one leaf 24: of which is movable. Mounted on the exterior of the movable leaf 241 is an auxiliary pneumatic 25 having its leaf 26 fixed angularly with respect to the movable leaf of the primar pneumatic, and having its movable leaf 2; pivotally mounted with respect thereto. The primary and secondary pneumatics are in constant com munication through air passage 28. The pneumatics are also independently urged to expanded condition by springs 29 and 30. For convenience in assembling and construction, the pneumatics 23 and 2 5 are offset with respect to the sliding rack, and the upper or movable leaf of the secondary pneumatic has fixed thereon an offset hooked pawl 31 positioned above and in cooperating relation with the series of teeth 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 of the reciprocatory member 6.

As mentioned above, the air duct 18 is in communication with a tracker bar aperture and upon registration of the latter with a perforation in the note sheet the valve 17 is elevated, due to the unbalanced pressure of the vacuum chamber, so that a double acting valve 32 is raised to seal air port 21 and to bring the secondary and primary pneumatics 25 and 23 into communication with the vacuum chamber 16. As a consequence, the pneumatics collapse in sequence, by reason of difference in tension of the expanding springs 30 and 29, the latter being of slightly greater strength and accordingly resisting collapse of the primary pneumatic until after collapse of the secondary pneumatic. Therefore the pawl 31 is depressed to engage with rack tooth 9 and pull the rack one step to the right (in Fig. 1) during the coincidence of a note sheet perforation and the corresponding tracker bar aperture. The closure of the latter thereafter allows valve 32 to be re-seated and bring the primary and secondary pneumaties in communication with the atmosphere, whereupon they expand under the influence of the springs. At this time the reciprocatory rack is held against reverse movement through the medium of a pivoted latch or lever 33 having one extremity 34. positioned to abut against the lower rack teeth. The lever 33 is normally pressed by leaf spring 35 acting on one side or the other of a cam portion 36 to resiliently urge the lever to one extreme rocked position.

It will be apparent that movement of the rack bar may be thus effected in a number of steps corresponding to the number of sequential governing apertures in the note sheet, so that predetermined movement may be automatically imparted through the link 3 to tone-regulating device 1 or other suitable part.

Release of the member 6 and its position to initial extreme limit may be effected, in the construction shown, either by the final cooperation of the pawl 31 with rack tooth 13, or by independent release of the locking pawl 33 through a separate pneumatic actuator to be described. In the former instance release is efl ected during the final rightward movement of the rack by camming action between a lower lug 37 on the rack and a lug 38 at the opposite end of the lock ing pawl, whereby, as these parts cooperate, the pawl is reversed in position and maintained during free leftward movement of the rack by action of the leaf spring 35 bearing against the other side of cam surface 36. In this instance, also, upon release of the rack and its movement to the left the position of the locking pawl is restored through engagement of the rack lug 37 with a lever lug 39.

In the second instance a pneumatic 40 is employed having a fixed leaf 41 and a movable leaf 42, the latter carrying an arm 43 connected by link lat with the locking pawl 33, the connection between said link and arm being such that the former is free to move downward independently of thelatter. The pneumatic 40 is controlled through a valve 45 governing the communication of the pneumatic through duct 16 with air port 47 or port 48 to vacuum chamber 19. The valve 45 is in turn regulated by the diaphragm or valve 50, normally sealing duct 51 in communication with a predetermined aperture in the tracker bar, so that upon admission of air to said aperture the pneumatic 10 is placed in communication with the vacuum chamber 49 and thereby collapsed to rock the pawl 33 and release the sliding rack 6 from its instant position.

The independent release of the rack member 6 in the manners described is particularly advantageous in the primary designed use of the mechanism shown, wherein a toneregulating device is controlled, since it permits the return positioning of the rack, when desired, from any intermediate or the extreme opposite position thereof, and also insures its return to normal in case of accidental repeated air admissions to the primary and secondary pneumatics 23 and 25. Furthermore, release apertures 52 may be located at convenient intervals through the note sheet to insure the initial correct position of the tone control prior to its selected operation. For other gradations, the note sheet may be provided with following apertures 53, 5 1, 55 arranged in desired groups to effect the automatic control of the rack 6 and the sound governor.

There may also be provided an adjustable means by which the extent of reciprocatory movement of the member 6 may be controlled. A typical form of such construction is shown as comprising an arm 56 extended from the movable leaf of the primary pneumatic 23 and connected with a link 57 having adjustably threaded thereon spaced nuts 58, 59 to engage with opposite sides of a fixed bracket 60 secured to the upper face of the valve case. 7

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a player piano, in combination, a plurality of strikers, a rotatable member movable in the path of movement of said strikers to vary the throw thereof, operating means for said member including a reciprocable element, a spring constantly urging said element in one direction, and pneumatic means to effect graduated movement of said element in opposition-to said spring.

2. In a player piano, in combination,

means including a movable element to vary the sound intensity, operating means therefor including a reciprocable member normally urged in one direction, pneumatic means to effect step by step movement thereof in the other direction, and a releasable latch to cooperate with said member as moved by said pneumatic means.

8. In a player piano, in combination, means including a movable member to vary the sound intensity, operating means therefor including a reciprocable member normally urged in one direction, a releasable spring-pressed latch to cooperate with said member for holding the same, and pneumatic means to move said member step by step in the other direction and to effect the release of said latch.

4-. In a player piano, in combination, a reciprocable member, and means for moving the same in one direction including a primary pneumatic having a movable leaf and a secondary pneumatic mounted on said movable leaf, said secondary pneumatic having a leaf fixed and a leaf movable relatively to said movable leaf of said primary pneumatic.

5. In a player piano, in combination, a pneumatic having a fixed leaf and a movable leaf, a secondary pneumatic mounted on said movable leaf and having one leaf fixed relatively thereto and the other leaf movable with respect thereto, said secondary pneumatic communicating only with said first pneumatic and being subject to the operating means of the same.

6. In a player piano, in combination a pneumatic having a fixed leaf and a movable leaf, a pneumatic mounted on said movable leaf at substantially right angles thereto and having one leaf fixed and one leaf movable with respect thereto.

7. In a player piano, in combination, a pneumatic having a fixed leaf and a movable leaf, a pneumatic mounted on said movable leaf at substantially right angles thereto and having one leaf fixed and one leaf movable with respect thereto, and an air passage connecting said Pneumatics.

8. In a player piano, in combination, a pair of pneumatics, one being mounted on and at substantially right angles to the movable leaf of the other.

9. In a player piano, in combination, a pair of pneumatics, one being mounted on and at substantially right angles to the movable leaf of the other, and independent springs normally tending to expand said pneumatics, said springs being of different tension.

10. In a player piano, in combination, a

reciprocable member having rack teeth, op-

erating means therefor comprising a pawl movable in one direction to engage one of said rack teeth and in another direction to move said member, and pneumatic means to move said pawl in said directions.

11. In a player piano, in combination, a rectilinearly movable member having two sets of rack teeth, a pawl cooperating with one of said sets for moving said member, a locking pawl to cooperate with the other of said sets for holding said member, said member and locking pawl having cooperable parts to effect release of the latter upon predetermined movement of the former by said first-mentioned pawl, and independent means to release said locking pawl at will.

12. In a player piano, in combination, a rectilinearly movable member having sets of rack teeth, a pawl to cooperate with one of said sets for moving said member, pneumatics for moving said pawl, a locking pawl to hold said member, and a separate pneumatic to release said locking pawl.

13. In a player piano, in combination, a rectilinearly movable member, means normally urging the same in one direction, means to move said member step by step in the other direction, and a latch to hold said member as moved by said second means, said member and said latch having cooperable parts to effect automatic release of the latter upon predetermined step by step v movement of the former and to restore said latch to a holding position upon return of said member by said first means.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP J. MEAHL.

IV-itnesses:

J. THoMsoN, C. J. KULBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,.by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). 0. 

